Improvement in bee-hives



UNITED STATES PATENT (Darren.

`JOSEPH TRUAX, OF MOUNT GILEAD, OHO.

IMPROVEMENT INn BEE-Hlyes.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,475, dated June 10,1879 application lled November 7, 1878.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI,JOsEPH TRUAX, of Mount Gilead, in the county of Morrowand State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improve ment inBee-Hives, of which the following is a specification.

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved bee-hive. Fig. 2 is avertical side section of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the lowerpart of the hive, showing a part of the separating-cloth. Fig. 4 is atop view, partly in horizontal section, ot' the surplus honey boxes. Fi5 is a detail view of the divisionboard. Fi g. 6 is a detail view of thelower side of the false bottom. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a part of thelooped pivoting-wire. Fig. 8 is a detail view of a part of the notchedstop and support-strip.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The invention consists in improving the interior arrangement andconstruction of beehives, especially with reference to surplus honey, ashereinafter described.

A is the bottom of the hive, which is placed in an inclined position,with its forward edge the lowest, and to the side and rear edges ofwhich are attached boards B, with their upper edges horizontal. Theforward edges of the side boards, B, abut against the rear side edges ofthe lower parts of the upright boards C, the lower parts of which areattached to the forward parts ofthe side edges of the bottom A.

To the forward edges of the upright boards C are attached the ends ofthe front D, the lower edge of which is at a little distance from thebottom A. The space between the lower edge of the front I) and thebottom Ais filled by a narrow board, E. The narrow board E is secured inplace by hooks F, pivoted to the boards C, and which hook upon pins orscrews attached to the ends of the said narrow board E. In the loweredge of the narrow board E are formed long notches to serve aspassageways for the bees, and which may be closed, or partly closed, byplates G, placed in long keepers H, attached to the board E.

The forward part of the bottom A projects in front of the front boards,D E, to serve as a platform for the bees to alight upon and take flightfrom. In the front D, a little above its central line, are formed shortslots, to serve as passage-ways for th'e bees when at work in thesurplnshoney boxes, and which are closed, or partly closed, by plates I,placed in longkeepers J, attached to the said front hoard, D. To thefront D, at the lower sides of the upper passage-ways, is attached astrip, K, to serve as a platform for the bees to alight upon and takeflight from.

Toy the rear edges of the upright boards C are hinged the forwardedgesof the ends L, which are kept in place when closed by buttons M,pivoted to the base side strips, B; To the rear edges of the end boards,L,.are hinged the outer edges of the parts or halves of the back N,which are kept in place when closed by dowel-pins O and by hook P.

Q are the comltframes, to the lower side of the lower corners of whichare attached pins R, the rear pin R resting upon the rear part of thebottom A, and the forward pin R rest- .ing upon a cleat or strip, S,attached to the lower part of the inner side of the front D. The forwardpin R is brought into and kept in place by entering V-shaped notchesformed upon the upper side of the cleat S, or in the edge of a stripattached to the said upper side.

To the upper side of the forward corners of the comb-frames Q areattached pins T, which enter the outer loops of the looped or zigzagWire U, secured between the upper edge of the front D and a cleatattached to the said upper edge. The comb-frames Q are kept in placelaterally by pins V, attached to their sides, and

which rest against the sides of the adjacent frames and against the endboards, L, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

W are comb-guides, which are narrow strips of stiff paper inserted ingrooves in the lower sides of the top bars ofthe comb-frames Q, so thatthe combs will be built straight and in the plane of the said frames.The comb-frames Q, may be'further securedin place by the crossstrips X,placed at their upper corners and at their rear lower corners.

Y are the surplus-honey boxes, which are made with one or two papersides, with wooden ends and cross-bars, and with paper combguidesattached to their upper edges. The surplus-honey boxes are kept in placeby a rectangular band, Z, within which they are placed, as shown inFigs. 2 and 4, and by the base-band A', made of angular strips, upon thelower part or iiange of which the lower ends of the said honey-boxes Yrest, and which rest upon the inner parts of the upper edges of theboards D L N, as shown in Fig. 2, where they are kept in place by shortcleats, or by pins attached to the upper edges of the side and endboards of the hive.

The surplus-honey boxes Y are designed to be covered with a cloth and aloose top board. The surplus-honey boxes Y are separated from the maincomb-frames Q by a cloth, B', which has iiaps formed in it by cuttingalong three sides ot' a rectangle, so that the said flaps can be turnedback when desired to allow the bees to ascend into one or another partofthe honeyboxes Y, as may be desired.

rlhe main or brood chamber maybe made of any desired size by removingone of the comb- 'rames Q and inserting a division-board, C', which ismade with an inclined lower edge to fit upon the inclined bottom A.

D' is a false bottom placed upon the inclined bottom A, and which isprovided with a hinged leg or support, E', which may be adjusted tosupport the false bottom D' in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig.2. The false bottoni D' is made narrower than the chamberin which it isplaced, and has a long notch cut in its rear edge, to form passage-waysfor the bees and for ventilation. The false bottoni D' is kept fromlateral movem ent by pins F' ,attached to its side edges, and which restagainst the end boards, L.

The surplus-honey boxes are inclosed by a cap, G', the lower edges oi'which are rabbeted upon their inner sides, to receive and rest upon theupper edges of the side and end boards, D N L L. rlhe surplus-honeyboxes are centered and. secured in place by pins H', attached to theupper edges of the side and end boards, D N L L, and which enterrecesses in the rabbeted lower edges of the cap G'.

rlhe doors of the hive are strengthened to prevent them from beingwarped by heat from the bees or from the sun by cleats or stripsattached to or let into their end edges across the grain of the wood.

My honey-boxes with loose comb-guides cause the combs to be straight, sothat they can be easily removed without cutting, breaking, or bruisingthe box; or they can be mar keted in the boxes, that form a protectionfor the combs and leave one side open for inspection.

What I claim as new and of my invention 1s- 1. The comb-frames Q,provided with side pins, V, top pins, T, and bottom pins, R, the lattersupported in a notched front strip, S, as well as on bottom A, the toppins in outer loops of a zigzag' wire, and the side pins against theframes and end boards, as shown and de scribed.

2. The surplus-honey boxes Y, secured together by a removable medianband, Z, and bottom angle-band, A', as set forth.

3. The rear notched false bottom, D', having hinged leg E' and sidepins, F', combined in a bee-hive with an inclined bottom, A, as and forthe purpose speciiied.

JOSEPH TRUAX.

Witnesses:

WM. P. BowMAN, ANDREW J. ROBERTS.

